Biography: Georgius Elmacinus - Ibn Al 'Amid المكين - إبن العميد

Georgius Elmacinus (also Elmakin or Elmacin) المكين, and in Arabic sources Ibn Al 'Amid إبن العميد . Egyptian Coptic Christian historian. (c. 1223-1274 or 1273 CE / 671 AH). Author of a history of Islam, extending from the time of Prophet Muhammad to the year 1118 C.E.

He was a Coptic Christian of Egypt, where he was born; he held an official position under the Sultans of Egypt, and died at Damascus.

His history is principally occupied with the affairs of the Muslim world. It also contains passages which relate to the Eastern Christians. It was published in Arabic and Latin at Leiden in 1625. The Latin version is a translation by Erpenius, under the title, Historia Saracenica. From that a French translation was made by Wattier as L'Histoire Mahometane (Paris, 1657).

Ibn Khaldun in his history quotes Ibn Al Amid's work extensively when dealing with Biblical accounts and Biblical figures. Also, Edward Gibbons in his monumental work, The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire quotes it extensively.

References

• George Elmacin article in 1911 Encyclopedia